Have your say on the future of the Blue Badge
Transport for All
Update. Blue Badge eligibility is to be extended to some people with non-physical impairments. The new law comes into force on 30 August 2019...
Update:
Blue Badge eligibility is to be extended to some people with non-physical impairments.
The new law comes into force on 30 August 2019.
This article is now archived.
The Government is proposing to widen eligibility for the Blue Badge scheme to enable more people with non-physical and with invisible impairments to apply. Transport for All (TfA) would like to hear your opinion on this important change.
This proposal follows a legal challenge taken by a man with autism and learning difficulties. For 30 years, he used to get a Blue Badge, but with a change over of benefits from Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), it led to him being no longer eligible.
The Blue Badge enables a Disabled driver or a Badge holding passenger or driver to park park nearer to where they’re going, if they need to. Badge holders have more choice in where to park, and can utilise dedicated parking spaces on public streets. This is a simple idea that can make all the difference. As the two and half million or so current users will testify, a Blue Badge really helps in having an active, independent life.
The Government’s Proposal includes:
- Enlarging the ‘without further assessment’ route to getting a Blue Badge to include those who get 12 points under PIP for ‘planning and Following Journeys’.
- Rewording of the criteria for the assessment of those who don’t automatically qualify, in order to be more inclusive.
- Removing the need for eligibility to the assessor to be ‘independent’, allowing a range of healthcare professionals (other than the applicant’s GP) to undertake an assessment.
The Government has launched a consultation, which will last until 18th March 2018, and they want responses from individuals and groups.
The Government wants to know whether people agree with the proposed changes. They also want to know if these changes will disadvantage any particular group of Disabled people, or if people have alternative suggestions.
Transport for All will be making a response. While broadly positive about the proposals, we are concerned that for the automatic criteria, people have to have the 12 points or the maximum possible under the PIP ‘Planning and Following Journeys’ section; while it is 8 points or more under the ‘Moving Around’ section. Also, we are concerned that even after rewording the criteria for assessment, some Disabled people who can really benefit from a Blue Badge may still be denied.
Please get back to us with your experiences of applying for a Blue Badge and your opinion about the Government’s proposal: This survey is now closed. Thank you for your responses.
